Well, after spending some time in modelling limbo for the past few month and doing no more then an occasional thing or two left and right on shelf of doom projects without finding a project I really felt committed to I finally came across something that I wanted to do.

With this new project I hope to convert the newly released Airfix 1/48 Spitfire PR.19 to a Spitfire MK.XIV(c/e). Terry (Airframes) already pointed out the general changes that need to be made in order to convert this PR.19 to a MK.XIV. Based on Airframes remarks about this I set out to dig through my own reference material on the Spit to see what needs to be done. I haven't decided yet on wether this will be a MK.XIVc or MK.XIVe, but since I have some decals for James Lacey's MK.XIV on hand that will be one for now (subject to change) Regardless of wether it will end up becoming a XIVc of XIVe, some of the changes needed are really obvious and in your face, so I decided to get started with some of these. Area's indicated with the red marker are points I've been working on, or need work.

Starting with pic 1, it shows the port side intake that had to be removed. I cut it of with a fresh blade, sanded the area smooth, filled a small gap that appeared with plastic card and topped it off with thin CA glue that was sanded/polished smooth. Also on the port side I scribed in a preliminary cockpit door (subject to change should I decided to pose it with the cockpit open) Also, a panel line was 'deleted, as was the outline of the port side camera access door. I glued the camera lens in place. This will serve as the 'base' from with the remaining gap will be filled so as to completely remove any trace of this hatch ever being there.

On to pic 2. Some more panel lines and access doors were removed. Also Indicated is the area were a new access door/hatch has to be scribed in. On this side of the fuselage that will be the most complicated step in the process.

Pics 3 and 4 show the new windscreen I found in my spares box. Not sure which kit it comes from, but it's just about a drop fit that sits rather well on the fuselage and lines up pretty neatly with the 'vanilla' unmodified center piece of the PR.19 canopy. Something I also need to work on is the back part of the canopy. The kit comes with the later production canopy with the larger back side of the canopy. I'm thinking it shouldn't be too hard to modify this clear part to make it look like something that is found on a MK.XIV, including a rail for the sliding center piece. I also found an additional center piece that sits neatly in the 'slided back' position. Should I decide to spice up the interior and pose everything open position this might be a suitable replacement part for the one piece affair the kit provides.

Sofar I'm thinking Airfix certainly managed to capture the elegant lines of this late griffon engined beast, and I think it certainly serves as a solid base for a good many conversion project.

Good stuff so far Jelmer. On the canopy, the PR19 used external rails, so these will need to be omitted if included in the kit. The MkXIV was like other spits, with a channel for the canopy frame to run in.
One thing concerning 'Ginger' Lacey's MkXIV. By that period, aircraft arriving in theatre were not re-painted, in the MUs in India, in Dark Earth, and were left in the temperate scheme, as shown in your profile.
However, back in 1983, I asked him about this, and he told me that his aircraft was in Dark Green and Dark Earth. I've seen pics of one MkXIV flown by him where this certainly looks to be the case, whereas other pics seem to show the green/grey scheme. Only the second set of pics mentioned have a serial number, so I'd have to dig out the info.

I already sanded off some sort of external rail/hinges on the fuselage sides just below where the center clear part is supposed to go, is this what you mean? I forgot to mark it in red though? BTW, my reference material mentions an 'early' production batch of the PR.19 that is without pressurization and has a canopy that seems similar to what you might expect on a MK.XIV.

Good to hear about the colours of his kite. I like the dark earth scheme better anyway I just picked to profile to get an idea of where I want to take this project. As I was going through pics and profiles on the web I noticed it's being depicted in either standard temperate scheme or with dark earth added. Any additional info on this subject would be appreciated, but I think it will be a while before any of that is needed so no need to rush it. I have to get the plastic right first before there can be any talk of colour schemes.

Yes, that sounds like the bit I mean. Far as I know without delving further, the very few non - pressurised PR19s were eventually converted - I can't remember off-hand how many there were, but 8 seems to ring a bell.
Unfortunately, I wasn't told the serial number, but 'Ginger' was adamant that the colours were Dark Green and Dark Earth, and very slightly irritated that paintings, and models, had shown the grey scheme.

Unfortunately, I wasn't told the serial number, but 'Ginger' was adamant that the colours were Dark Green and Dark Earth, and very slightly irritated that paintings, and models, had shown the grey scheme.

Click to expand...

A statement regarding the colours by the man himself is sufficient reason for me to go with the green/dark earth scheme I like best anyhow

Thanks for your interest sofar guys! Doing a conversion like this is a first for me too, so I'm gonna take my time and do it a step at a time. I sat down with the upper wings parts and ailerons just now and compared it with some drawings I found (for a MK.XIVc) in the 'a comprehensive guide for the modeller' book on Griffon engined spitfires to see what needs to be done in order to convert the 'D' wing to something that resembles the wing found on the Mk.XIVc. Panel lines and filler caps marked in red need to be removed all together and panel lines and filler caps marked in blue need to retained, modified, extended or scribed in 'from scratch' Seems like I got some scribing to do, but it seems it will mostly be fairly straight forward. As I was going through heaps of scraps plastic and assorted parts that might come in handy I also found a complete 'E' wing from the Academy kit. Might also come in handy somewhere down the line, although making it fit will not be easy.

Also, since they sell at a fairly low price, I was thinking about maybe getting an additional ICM spitfire VIII/IX kit to see if those wings might be of use. If so, it quite possibly could save me a lot of work.

Good stuff Jelmer.
Bin the Academy wing - it's very inaccurate in all plains. The ICM wing is OK, but there are problems with blending the tips, and fitting to the fuselage would be tricky. Much easier to stay with the kit parts, and a straightforward scribing job - and a darned site easier than converting the Hasegawa MkV/Matchbox (Revell) Mk22 into a 1/32nd scale MkXIV !!

I'm leaning towards converting the 'D' wing the kit provides too Terry. The lower wing section will be more difficult te convert I think. More small filler caps and such, but the upper wing halves seem quite easy to convert with some fairly straiht forward scribing. I know I at least have the appropriate cannons and stubs for a 'C' wing.

If you can spare these parts I wouldn't mind getting them to see if they might be of some use after all. Trying to recall the parts layout of that kit I think it would be the wings, appropriate cannon bulges, ailerons and clipped/normal wingtips? Well, drop me a line to see if we can work something out